IHC orders to release Shah Mahmood Qureshi, declares arrest ‘illegal’

ISLAMABAD: Declaring Shah Mahmood Qureshi's arrest under Section 3 of Maintainance of Public Order (MPO) "illegal", the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday ordered authorities to release the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf vice chairman.

IHC’s Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb issued the directives after hearing arguments of both — defence and plaintiffs — on a petition challenging Qureshi’s arrest.

The court further directed the PTI leader to submit an undertaking similar to the one given by former state minister Ali Muhammad Khan — who was re-arrested last night despite securing bail from IHC.

Qureshi’s lawyers informed the court that they would submit the undertaking after consulting the PTI leader.

The former foreign minister was among the top PTI leaders that were arrested from Islamabad within 24 hours after countrywide protests erupted against former prime minister Imran Khan’s arrest on May 9.

Qureshi was arrested during the wee hours of May 11 after the police raided Gilgit-Baltistan House in Islamabad under Section 3 MPO.

He was arrested by the police in cases of riots and arsons in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police said back then.

However, before his arrest, the PTI leader encouraged party workers to continue their struggle for true freedom in the country.

"As a foreign minister of Pakistan, I defended Pakistan's interests at every forum. I have been in practical politics for 40 years," he said.

Qureshi had added that he has no regrets and has not made any provocative statements that could lead to lawsuits. He was confident that the PTI's movement will reach its destination.

IHC also directs police to release Shahryar Afridi's wife

The IHC has also ordered the release of PTI leader Shehryar Afridi’s wife, who was also arrested under the MPO.

Afridi's wife was presented before in the courtroom of Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir during the hearing today. During the proceedings, the Islamabad IG informed the court the suspect and her husband were involved in the attack on General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Meanwhile, the judge admonished the Islamabad police chief and told him to take actions after taking advice from his legal team.

The Islamabad deputy commissioner was also summoned before the court and told the judge that Afridi and his wife were arrested on the information received from the Special Branch.

The crackdown against the PTI leaders doen't seem to slow down as despite the authorities concerned and police have been arresting and re-arresting party leaders despite them securing bails from the high courts. 

A day earlier, party chief Khan also condemned the “detentions and abductions” of party workers and leaders as "totally illegal" in a strongly-worded tweet.